Sunday Song: Kind

I've had a great deal of time this week to listen to new music.  This lovely snowstorm is likely giving me a five day weekend which gave me ample time to do all my homework, clean the house, and read for pleasure.

Bethel Music's Amanda Cook has a great album "Brave New World" that is a perfect background for writing.  Fortunately/Unfortunately, there were many times I had to stop writing academic papers and meditate on a lyric.

One that keeps giving me pause is "Kind".

You are not a tyrant King
You do not delight in suffering
Your power doesn't compensate for insecurity
'Cause You are not a tyrant King

You are not an angry man
You do not treat us with contempt
Your voice is sure, Your eyes are soft, Your smile confident
'Cause You are not an angry man

You are kind
You are kind
You are kind
You are kind

Your love is a fury all its own
Sweeping the dust and turning feet towards home
Carrying the orphans and resetting broken bones
Your love is a fury all its own

You are kind
You are kind
You are kind
You are kind

And love is powerful enough
Without the fear of punishment

Be at rest, oh my soul.  My God is not a tyrant.  He is kind.

Sunday Song: Broken

Better late in the day than never...

I love me some Lecrae and I've been listening to Anomaly while cooking lately.

This song, "Broken" has some beautiful truth.

I'm just a broken instrument in the hands of the Greatest...

...All the pieces on the ground
I shattered all the dreams I thought I found
And you put me back together
I need your grace for my flaws
God, I'm broken in this mess I've made
I need You to restore me...

...Tryna hold onto our lives with these clumsy hands
Fell off the wall of purity doing the Humpty dance
Forget the king's horses, forget the king's men
The King is coming to put us back together again...

Your presence in me
Is all the strength that I need

Sunday Song: Out of Hiding

My dad introduced me to this song while I was home for Christmas.  It's absolutely beautiful and goes along well with what I am currently studying: the concept of shame.

I'm slowly working my way through Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness & Rejection by Edward T. Welch...and this week happened upon the Fall and Jesus' first miracle in my Scripture reading.  I never thought about the role of shame in turning water into wine and it is an altogether beautiful picture that I plan to share in the coming days.  I'm still studying the idea -- I don't want to post something that is entirely off- base theologically.

So here's the song, with the lyrics in the video.

Oh, as you run,
what hindered love
will only become
part of the story...

Sunday Song: Advent #3

Today, on this third Sunday of Advent, we light the candle of Joy.  His arrival is close -- the light is growing brighter.

Joy:: our time of rejoicing is almost here.  Jesus came that we might have JOY.  In all things, in spite of all things.

Sarah Bessey wrote about it beautifully, so please take the time to read her words here.



Today's song is from Meredith Andrews. It's a modern take on "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" that I first heard the Sunday after the Newtown shootings three years ago.

He came to redeem it all.  To bring us joy in all things, in spite of all things.  He brings light to the darkness.

The hope for all mankind.  Born to give us life.

Sunday Song: Advent #1

Today marks the first Sunday of Advent: a time of preparation of the arrival of a notable person, in our case, the King of the world.

It seems the world and most Christians forget this step. I guess in some ways, I do too.  My tree is set up and decorated in red and gold, not purple, which is the advent tradition.  I started listening to Christmas music last week.

But this year I am also going to focus on preparation for His arrival.  I bought my first advent wreath and I'm going to devote time to prayer and fasting.  I created an "advent playlist" that consists solely of songs of waiting.

"Let every heart prepare Him room...."

With that in mind, the next four Sunday songs will follow this theme of Advent.  Songs of meditation, of preparation, of joyful expectation.

Today's song came to mind while reading Psalm 136 this morning.  I've always known it as the "His love endures forever" one, but today I focused on the other half of the words.

"He remembered us in our low estate and freed us from our enemies."

He remembered us in our lowliness.  No, He did so much more than that.  He joined us there.

 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was
in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

He joined us in our low estate.  He took on our lowliness.

Today's song reminds us of how low He stooped to join us.  May my lowly heart be ready to receive him.

Sunday Song: Thanksgiving #4

Today's song is perhaps my favorite about Thankfulness...even at the worst of times, on a really bad day (like the one I am currently having), I have so much to thank the Lord for.

He forgives all my sins.
He heals all my diseases.
He redeems my life from the pit.
He crowns me with love and compassion.

He sees me. He knows me. He loves me.

My heart is filled.

Sunday Song: For Paris

My heart breaks for the pain running rampant all over the world today. I grieve over lives lost due to evil, evil hate.

It's a cruel place. 

But as a child of God, I trust and I know that evil had a beginning and one day it will certainly meet its end...on that day when He makes all things right.

So this Sunday's song is one for Paris.  For everyone crushed by this broken world.  Here's some truth that's worth being thankful for.

As Sure as the Sun (Ellie Holcomb)

There is good news, there is good truth

That you could never change,

No matter what you do

You are loved more than you know

More than you could hope for

After everything you've done

As sure as the sun will rise

And takes away the night

His mercy will not end

His mercy will not end

There is good news, there's a promise

That no matter where you go

You will never be alone

In the dark, in the doubting

When you can't feel anything

Oh, His love remains the same

As sure as the sun will rise

And takes away the night

His mercy will not end

His mercy will not end

Even through the night

Silver stars will shine

Hope of glory's light

That will wake us once again

As sure as the sun will rise

And takes away the night

As sure as the sun will rise

His mercy will not end

His mercy will not end

Sunday Song: Thanksgiving #2

Today's song doesn't necessarily use words like thankfulness and gratitude, but it is a song of praise.

It beautifully recounts all the reasons we have to sing praise and thank Him.

"All the blessing he deserves poured on my unworthy soul"

(Please ignore the typos in the video).

Have a blessed Sunday.

Sunday Song: Thanksgiving #1

Here I am....November 1.

It's the first day in a month that I don't "have to" blog, but it's almost become habit and I want to keep going.

I won't write about truth every day anymore, but I don't want to forsake it completely, either.  I enjoyed the Sunday Song posts because music has always been one of the biggest influences in my life.

I plan to continue the Sunday Song series at least through the end of 2015. The months of November and December lend themselves easily to this.  In the weeks leading about to Thanksgiving, I will share songs that cultivate thankfulness.  In December my focus will turn to Advent in preparation for Christmas.  Please join me.

Today's song is one I've known my whole life.  It must be over thirty years old.  I clearly remember sitting on the floor of our house group while my dad led the group in worship.  I couldn't have been more than four years old.  I had recently recovered from pneumonia and while the adults around me sang this song, I realized for the first time that I had something to thank God for.  He'd healed me.  I remember feeling elated and finally part of the "club" although I still didn't know what it meant.

Let the weak say, "I am strong"
Let the poor say, "I am rich"
Because of what the Lord has done for us
Give thanks...

To Love the Truth Day 25: Sunday Song

Dennis Jernigan may not be a familiar name to most, but he was the most-played artist in my house growing up.  He is arguably one of the greatest Truthtellers I've found, and his songs of ministry do just that: he sings the Truth over us.

This song is my all-time favorite.  Hear the words of the Father today.

To Love the Truth Day 18: Sunday Song

Today's song echoes many of the truths I've talked about this week.  Nichole Nordeman has been one of my favorite singer/songwriters since high school and her new EP did not disappoint.  She is, in my mind, a truthteller.

Happy Sunday!  Here is "Name"

To Love the Truth Day 11: Sunday Song

I have had this song on repeat since I first heard it months ago.  It speaks for itself.

Have a wonderful Sunday. 

No Longer Slaves // Bethel Music

I am surrounded by the arms of the Father

I am surrounded by songs of deliverance

We've been liberated from our bondage

We're the sons and the daughters....

You split the sea so I could walk right through it

You drown my fears in perfect love

You rescued me and I will stand and sing

I am a child of God

To Love the Truth Day 4: Sunday Song

Each Sunday during October, I decided to highlight a song that speaks to the Truth. It's an opportunity to hear, reflect, believe, and worship.

Today's song is "Will Justice Reign?" by Kathryn Scott.  It describes our longing and need for Truth...echoes of Isaiah 59.  

Earth groans and waits for her king to come 

with trembling hands of broken innocence. 

She bows her knees neath her heavy load 

for time has held her ransom.

Will justice reign? Will truth prevail? 

Will any take their stand for mercy?

Who'll choose to walk the narrow way 

and touch a broken world with healing?

Will justice reign?

Her children cry from sorrow's depths. 

Grieving for life as it COULD have been. 

But we close our eyes till the image fades.

Living on the borrowed time of excuses.

Will justice reign? Will truth prevail? 

Will any take their stand for mercy?

Who'll choose to walk the narrow way 

and touch a broken world with healing?

Will justice reign?